5 Ways Restaurants Around The World Are Getting Social Distancing Right

by Vaishnavi Venkataraman
5 Ways Restaurants Around The World Are Getting Social Distancing Right

The Covid pandemic has wrecked the world. However, things are slowly resuming to normal as countries take baby steps to resume life. And, amidst all the chaos, dining out has become a thing of the past. Restaurants across the world are slowly opening doors, but with strict restrictions in place. In fact, a few restaurants are also resorting to creative ways to follow social distancing guidelines.

From transparent screens to mannequins and creative dining tables, here’s how restaurants around the world are getting social distancing right:

1. Mannequins

Dining in an empty restaurant can feel weird-right? Well, restaurants have come up an innovative way for this too. Mannequins are placed on empty tables to provide company to diners. The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia, kicked off this new concept. And now, when the restaurant opens at the end of May, waiters will serve both the real and the fake customers.

Credits: Insider.com
Credits: Insider.com

Similarly, A restaurant in Germany added dolls to its empty tables. Germany, dolls fill the empty tables at Hotel Haase in Hannover. The hotel did not want its restaurant to look empty, or diners to dine alone, and added life-size dolls to each table.

Credits: Insider.com
Credits: Insider.com

2. Cardboard Cutouts

A restaurant in Australia added cardboard cutouts on each table to make customers feel comfortable. Owners of the Five Dock Dining, added cardboard cutouts on all tables so that visitors don’t feel like they’re eating in an empty restaurant. The idea worked well and reservations quickly filled for opening night. Sydney has now permitted restaurants to reopen, with a maximum of 10 guests.

Credits: Insider.com
Credits: Insider.com

3. Transparent Screens

After schools in China made transparent screens to ensure social distancing while eating, restaurants in Thailand have now followed suit. The Penguin Eat Shabu hotpot restaurant added plastic barriers to its tables to prevent people from interacting while eating.

Credits: Insider.com
Credits: Insider.com

Similar barriers are also used by restaurants in Japan. The main goal of the barrier is to block any droplets coming from diners.

Credits: Insider.com
Credits: Insider.com

4. Handmade Chute

A café in Kiel, Germany, built a chute to deliver food and beverages. The barista makes the coffee and lowers it to the customer through the chute. This prevents direct interaction between the customer and the staff.

Credits: Insider.com
Credits: Insider.com

5. Bumper Tables

Fish Tales in Ocean City, Maryland, plans to provide customers a fun bar experience when it reopens. The tables are made out of tubes, inside which customers can dine. And now, the fun part- the tubes are on wheels, which means customers can move around just like in a bumper car. The new dining set up is completely safe as it ensures a six feet distance between customers. The restaurant came up with the innovative idea to provide a fun dining experience to its customers.

Credits: Insider.com
Credits: Insider.com
First Published: June 18, 2020 6:00 AM